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With the decline of the Roman Empire, there was no central authority. Withthe exception of Charlemagne, kings ruled in name only. Lands and powerwent to nobles rather than the king.

Starting around the 1100s AD that changed as many European monarchsbegan to build strong states.

Rome left Britain in the 400s AD, than the native Celts were invaded by theAngles, Saxons and Jutes.

King Alfred of Wessex (Alfred the Great) united the Anglo-Saxons anddefeated the Danish invaders in 866 AD. The United Kingdom becameAngleland, or England.

Alfred ruled England from 871-899 AD. He encouraged learning. Hissuccessors were weak and by 1066 AD 3 rivals lay claim to the throne leftvacant by Edward the Confessor

Harold Godwinson English noble

Harald Hardrada king of Norway

William Duke of Normandy

Harold Godwinson took the throne. Harald Hardrada attacked and wasdefeated.

William (Duke of Normandy) invaded England in 1066 AD in at the Battle of

Hastings. William had two advantages: 1) calvary knights who charged the

enemy while archers fired arrows to distract and injure the enemy;the English had few if any archers and no horses 2) Harolds armywas in poor condition, exhausted after the march and battle atStamford against Harald

Fighting started at 9:00 am, December 25th. The Normans chargedup Senlac hill time and time again. The Normans then pretended toretreat and the English followed. The Normans surrounded them andcut them down. Late in the afternoon, Harold Godwinson was killed.

Winning the battle he took the throne and the title William the Conqueror.

1027 1087 He was the illegitimate son so he had to fight to keephis title. He learned to not trust anyone and show no mercy.

Extended control through the feudal system. He conducted the first census in Western Europe since Roman times

in 1086. His control over the people was greatly extended by theDomesday Book. Allowed for an efficient taxing system.

He created the Great Council of royal officials, bishops and nobles toadvise him. (In 1200 the Great Council became the Parliament.) He

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used local officials called sheriffs to collect taxes. Creating theexchequer, treasury, to collect taxes.

Henry II (Williams great grandson) inherited the throne in 1154. He wasmarried to Eleanor of Aquitaine. This doubled his landholdings, she was theex-wife of Louis VII of France. The English king now had more French lands

than the French king. He provided many governmental contributions:

common law: law based on tradition and court decisions

grand jury: people who determine is the evidence justifies bringing aperson to trial

His extension on royal power caused conflict with the Church.

Richard I the Lionheart became king. Followed by their youngest son, John,Henrys favorite.

King John

1205 lost war with French Philip II and gave up lands held in France Excommunicated by Innocent II for rejecting his nomination of the

archbishop of Canterbury. England was placed under the interdict apapal order forbidding Church services in England. John gave in tothe pope.

1215 AD King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta. It placedlimits on royal power, saying even the king was under the law (andset basis for English and American law). Giving due process of law.Taxes could not be raised without consulting the Great Council of

lords and clergy.

987 AD Hugh Capet took the throne and his dynasty lasted for more than300 years. They continued to take power from the feudal lords and theoldest son inherited the throne.Built an effective bureaucracy that collectedtaxes and imposed royal law.

Philip II, or Philip Augustus.

Rather than appoint nobles, he paid middle-class officials who owedloyalty to the king

New national tax, standing army, and new charters for new towns.

Gained back French lands

Died in 1223

Louis IX became king in 1226. He was generous, noble and devoted tojustice. Deeply religious man. Ended serfdom, expanded royal courts andoutlawed private wars.

Philip IV, Louis grandson, collected taxes from clergy. A Frenchmen was

elected pope after the death of Pope Boniface VIII. They moved the papalcourt to Avignon.